This Far
by myyysharona
Summary: Fic inspired by the song This Far by Landon Pigg. One-shot. Other random one-shots here.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Fic inspired by the song This Far by Landon Pigg. I hope you enjoy. :)

I don't own Rookie Blue or the characters. Any mistakes are mine.

* * *

_I see a picture of a family on a desk  
__And I wonder if the smiles are real  
__Sometimes I think we're better off than all the rest  
__How do you feel?_

It was the first time Gail had visited Holly's apartment. Unlike the DiazPeckStein frat house she lived in, Holly's place was her own. At Gail's there were pieces of everyone in the living spaces, clothes strewn about and dirty dishes everywhere. Even though it was obvious that the people who lived there cared about it, Holly's place had a more…homely feel and Gail immediately loved it.

"Soo..this is your place." Gail drawled while beginning her inspection of the apartment.

"This is it." Holly said as she took in a deep breath and slowly let it out with that look in her eyes that just said 'home' as she turned around with her arms out at her sides. It was clear that this place was hers. She put down her bag, hung her keys on the peg by the door, and kicked off her shoes before heading to the refrigerator to grab a couple of a beers for her and Gail.

"Why do you need three rooms? I thought you lived by yourself?" Gail asked as she walked down the hallway. "Really? An office? With how many books?" Holly heard Gail ask incredulously followed by a pause and a quieter, "Your family actually looks happy in these photos." From what Holly had ascertained about Gail's family, her childhood was more like one long pre-police academy but still Gail had to have some pictures of her family where everyone was genuinely happy in them. Figuring out where Gail was, Holly put down the bottles and joined Gail by her desk where she could see the family picture that Gail had picked up and was scrutinizing.

"That's because that picture was taken after my brother had just made some joke that was dumb enough to where it was actually hilarious. He was so great at coming up with those." Holly chuckled to herself just remembering that moment, it was one of many that were caught on film.

"But it looks so…genuine. No family is that photogenic or has smiles that are…real." Gail was being serious. Holly could see her taking in the rest of the photos where all of the smiles were real and it suddenly dawned on Holly that Gail had never really felt this and it hurt Holly to even think that.

"Hey, there's no pressure here," Holly said as Gail looked away and inhaled like she was going to say something. But before she could Holly continued, "don't ever doubt my smiles in our pictures. When I'm with you, how could they be anything but genuine?" And she wrapped up Gail in her arms.

_I see her arm around my shoulder and I know  
__It's a wonder you're even there  
__And when you smile I know without a doubt  
__That you really care, you really care_

Gail just looked at Holly and her arms around her neck and thought she must be dreaming. How did someone like Holly ever find it in them to have feelings for someone like Gail? She'd never understand. "I know. It's just…sometimes it's hard to remember that not everyone has ulterior motives." With this admission, Gail couldn't bring herself to look at Holly and just stared at a point on the opposing wall. They just stood there, arms wrapped around each other for a few moments as Gail thought about how, at any moment Holly was going to kick her out of the apartment.

"Gail…look at me," Holly lifted Gail's chin with her finger so that she was looking in her eyes and could see the blonde searching her eyes. For what though, she didn't know so Holly tried her best to convey the fact that she was all-in in this relationship with her, snarky remarks and all. But Gail just smiled and Holly couldn't help but smile back hoping that her message got across those deep ice-blue pools. At that point she knew Gail understood and whatever she was going to say no longer mattered.

_Hold me, hold me, lay me down  
__I don't even know how it got this far  
__But all these walls are falling down  
__And it looks like we made it this far_

"Come on. I left our drinks out on the coffee table," Holly said as she led Gail back out of the room and into the living room. "You know, not many of my ex's or people have made it to this stage with me. Usually I just go to everyone else's place for months and avoid bringing someone in." That got a chuckle out of her serious blonde, and the brunette just smiled as she lightly pressed a kiss into the blonde's head.

"Oh really? I must be someone special then." Gail joked back as they settled in to Holly's couch with beers now in hand. At first they were on opposite sides with their legs tangled together in the middle, just talking. The mood was still generally serious, so Holly was taken aback when Gail had shifted so that she was leaning against Holly taking her hands and wrapping them around her so Holly was holding her. Gail was never really good with words so she spoke more with her actions but even then, Holly knew the significance of what Gail had just done. She knew that to get this point meant Gail had let her in and she gave her a brief squeeze to let her know that she wasn't going anywhere.

_You always told me that the ears hear the words  
__But hearts, they can understand  
__I hope you know what I'm saying when I tell you  
__I'm trying to be a better man_

They continued talking through the night even though they were both exhausted. Eventually Holly could hear Gail breathing evenly and knew her cop had fallen asleep on her, leaving her alone with her thoughts and reflecting on the hours long conversation that had just taken place but Holly's thoughts kept coming around to something Gail had said in passing when she was drifting in and out of sleep.

"You make me try to be a better person." With those words and the conviction, though said in that state between fully awake and asleep, Holly knew that Gail was in this as much as she was. After spending time with the caustic cop who wore her heart on her sleeve, if there was one thing she learned it was that Gail didn't change for anyone. Maybe she was finally able to start following her heart and stop thinking and listening to that voice whispering in her ear telling her she wasn't good enough, that she would never be enough. Holly could only hope that that was the case.

Once Holly knew that Gail was out for the night, she decided to sleep out in the living room with Gail not wanting to leave her alone. So Holly carefully reached over to grab the blanket off the nearby sofa and draped it over Gail while maneuvering herself into a more comfortable position, placed her glasses on the coffee table, gently kissed Gail goodnight and soon fell into a slumber.

_And if I start to look around when you speak  
__It's not because I don't care  
__It's just sometimes I find another angle of your beauty  
__I have to try not to stare_

Dawn was beginning to turn into morning when Gail was lazily woken up by the sun's rays dancing across her face. Holly's blinds didn't completely block out the light and the light that did get in all seemed to be concentrated on Gail's face. Or so that was what she figured. It took her a couple of seconds to figure out that she had fallen asleep on Holly's couch, with Holly, given that her eyes were still closed. She could hear Holly's heart beating and feel the gentle rise and fall of her chest indicating that she was still asleep, giving Gail some time alone to think about what had transpired the night before recalling one of the many compliments she had paid the gorgeous brunette.

"Gail! Gail! You're not even listening to me," Holly was cracking herself up telling Gail a story about something that had happened during medical school. In between the more serious moods, there were those moments when they were doubled over together clutching at their stomachs in laughter.

"Huh? No, I was." She really was doing her best to listen but that signature Stewart smile got her every time and seeing how happy she was in that moment, sharing her life with Gail, she just looked even better. Gail wanted so much to tell her, but couldn't so she replied with her usual snark, "You were telling me something about someone who did that thing that one time."

"Yeah, uh huh Peck. I'll start from the beginning. Just for you." And she did while maintaining the same enthusiasm she had the first time she told the story. It was simply amazing. The blonde could feel herself smiling at the memory and simply pulled the blanket over her head to block the sun and hold on to the most wonderful person she'd ever met.

_And hold me, hold me, lay me down  
__I don't even know how it got this far  
__But all these walls are falling down  
__And it looks like we made it_

When next the blonde awoke, the blanket was no longer over her face and she could feel a hand running through her hair with the other wrapped around her waist. Gail shifted slightly to allow her to better look at the brunette who was staring out the window. "Mmm. That feels good."

Holly's hand briefly paused as she realized Gail had awoken. "Good morning to you too. Did you sleep okay?" She pressed a kiss into the top of Gail's head.

"I did actually. It was the best sleep I've had in a while." She reached up and pulled Holly into a kiss. "Hmm…maybe we should each brush our teeth first." She was rewarded with that smile she loved so much and a laugh. Even though they both knew that, neither could find it in them to move from their current position.

_Hold me, hold me, lay me down  
__I don't even know how it got this far  
__But all these walls are falling down  
__And it looks like we made it_

Gail didn't know how long they sat there in silence, when Holly's phone went off. "Ugh. Don't get that."

"I have to. What if it's work? I may not have to go in, but I am on call today." Reluctantly, Gail sat up to let Holly grab her phone.

"If it's not work, don't answer." That earned her a light slap on the side of her arm and as Holly walked off, a nice view of the brunette. Turned out, it wasn't work and Holly didn't answer but sent off a quick text letting the other person know she had plans for the day.

_And I would be with you  
__And I wouldn't run away  
__And I wanna fly you to the moon someday  
__And it looks like we made it  
__It looks like we made it this far_

They spent the morning lounging around the apartment, sharing tidbits of their lives with the other. At one point Gail talked about how when she was a kid she dreamed of living in space, maybe on mars or perhaps the moon. In those scenarios though, it was always just her and Steve.

"And now?"

"I actually haven't thought about it in a while. Oh, I guess Steve would still be allowed to come with me." She waved her hands and looked out the window opening her mouth and closing it like she was going to say something. Shyly she turned around to look into Holly's patient eyes and added, nearly inaudibly, "And you." Holly's smile grew and she could see the trepidation dissipate from the blonde's eyes as she realized this person wasn't going anywhere. Holly wasn't just another person she was dating, and though they hadn't been dating for very long Gail knew this relationship was just different from her previous ones. It just felt different. It felt right.

"Oh really? That could be fun. Living in space." Just like that, they both knew that this wasn't just another relationship for the other. They were something special. They had something special.

_And hold me, hold me, lay me down  
__I don't even know how it got this far  
__But all these walls are falling down  
__And it looks like we made it  
_

_And hold me, hold me, lay me down  
__I don't even know how it got this far  
__But all these walls are falling down  
__And it looks like, it looks like we made  
_

_Looks like  
__It looks like we made  
__Looks like, looks like, looks like_


	2. On Her Wedding

She never thought this day would come. Sure she still planned out every detail, looked at different dresses, thought about the season, location, and size of what she would want her own wedding to be, she never believed that it was in her future. After a string of what could only be described as failed flings she fell hard. Those ice cold baby blues threw her for a loop and before she knew it she was completely lost in them. But that latest crush was straight and undeniably so. At the very least it provided a distraction from her loneliness and got her out and meeting more people than just her usual crew of Lisa and Rachel. Then there had been that kiss and she was a goner, ruined her for any other relationship she could ever have. It burned hot and quick, ending quite abruptly with weeks of radio silence prompting her decision to make a life change and apply for jobs elsewhere. The day after she accepted the job, those baby blues showed up again full of sorrow, regret, and an apology written all over them. She was lost and ended up venting during her second date with a new girl. Needless to say the poor girl called it off and encouraged Holly to go get the girl, and go for it she did failing spectacularly along the way. As she boarded that plane for her two years across the continent she vowed that never again would she give up on the dream of love. That blonde snark sparked something in her that she wasn't willing to give up for good. They kept in touch with any and every way of long distance communication they could get their hands on. They visited each other at least once a year and Holly got along amazingly well with Gail's new daughter. At the end of her contract she was offered an extension and there was no doubt in Holly's mind what her answer would be. She got another position at the morgue and moved back. Several months later she proposed and a year later here they were. Here she was, in her own white dress getting to walk down the aisle and publicly proclaim her love forever and always to the person who showed her it was possible to love and be loved without abandon.


	3. Airplane

It was a small gesture. Resting her head on Holly's shoulders. It was small, but noticeable.

"Hmm?"

At this Gail turned her head to look at the sleepy brunette next to her. "Are you asleep?"

"How could I be? Every time I close my eyes, you touch me." She lazily opened her eyes, looking at the childlike blonde next her out the corner of her eyes, her mouth curling up in a smirk. "Had I known you would be like this on a plane, I would've suggested we sit on opposite sides of the aisle," she said as she tilted her head to rest on Gail's.

"I tried to warn you. I'm not a good flier." And she was right, but to her new wife it was simply adorable. Another Gail quirk to add to the list. Gail slid her head out from under Holly's as she reached for her ipod to see what she was listening to. "Really, Hols? I thought we talked about this."

The patient brunette let out a sigh, they _had_ talked about this. Many times, it was one of their things. "Did we now? And what did we decide last time?" She slid her headphones down to hang around her neck, and sat up to face the amused blonde and those twinkling blue eyes, resigning herself to no sleep for the remainder of the flight.

"_We_ decided that you would only listen to good music. And that you would take this off of here." to emphasize her point Gail waved the music player around before holding it in plain view to show the doctor that she was skipping that song, actually the entire album.

"Is that right?" Holly leaned in close to Gail's ear and said in a barely audible voice, "You didn't seem to mind it the other night," smiling to herself at the brief hitch in Gail's breath. Her voice deepened slightly and, just before pulling back finished with, "And I suspect you still won't tomorrow." Those blue eyes darkened as she heard Holly's laughter fill her ears while she brought the headphones back to her ears and she leaned back closing her eyes, knowing full well that this silly, guarded, complex person would do something else to wake her up.

Not ten seconds later, she was poked in the side. Only two more hours left, but it was all worth it to celebrate the start of their new life together.


	4. Secret Santa

Part of the Officer Lunchbox Secret Santa 2014 Extravaganza. My Secret Santa was unrequitedexistence.

"Seriously Hols? Did you have no fun in college? Margarita Monday, Tequila Tuesday, Whiskey Wednesday, Thirsty Thursday, Fireball Friday, Sangria Saturday, and Sinful Sunday" But Holly just shook her head and as Gail continued through the days of the week her expression became more and more incredulous. "Not even in undergrad?" Gail just sat and stared at her wondering how they got along so well. Holly was definitely not the usual people she hung out with.

"It sounds…exciting?" Truth be told, Holly was always kind of a nerd and a homebody so mostly her nights and weekends were spent on movie marathons or reruns of her favorite shows. And her friends were usually much the same, Gail was definitely not the usual people she hung out with.

"Yeah well, it's not like we went every night of the week. There were just options if we wanted to." Gail suddenly felt like she sounded like a party girl and not the type of woman Holly thought she had been dating. "These days we don't drink as heavily, mostly as a way to just relax or after a difficult day." Holly hummed her agreement to that.

"Days like I've had today. That's why I got a nice cabernet for this evening. Cases involving children are the hardest." At this, Gail could see her eyes glaze over and a melancholy mood settle over her as she swirled the wine in its glass before taking a long, slow sip.

"Do you want to talk about it?" What was she doing? Willingly inviting a conversation about feelings. This wasn't the first time she felt the need to talk things out with the brunette. Maybe it was those deep brown eyes, or the way you could see how much she cared just from her demeanor alone. Whatever it was, Gail was mesmerized by this woman and would do whatever it took to keep her around.

Holly laughed sadly to herself and ducked her head down, taking a deep breath as she did so. As she brought her head up, she ran her fingers through her hair and smiled shaking her head. "No. Not right now, it usually takes a day or so before I really process it. The wine helps for now. But thank you for offering." Sensing this was not something Gail usually did, she gently rested her hand atop the concerned blonde's and mindlessly rubbed tiny circles on it with her thumb. "Well. If that wasn't a conversation stopper. Ha, let's talk about something else. When is the Division's annual holiday party?"

"Ugh. Really? You change the subject to that?" She brought her free hand to her face and looked at the ceiling. "I make an appearance, get my attendance taken, and leave at the earliest possible moment."

"Oh. We always hear about the different Division's parties in pathology and they always sound like fun. Of course, not as fun as ours." She gave a sly smile and winked, laughing when Gail's jaw dropped. "I'm kidding. We don't really get up to any debauchery. It's usually just a nice dinner party and then a bunch of us hit the bars until it's just the ones with no familial commitments and we make our way over to someone's place - last year it was Rodney's - and play some games. Have you ever heard of Cards against Humanity?"

Dumbfounded Gail told her no and wondered what kind of party ended with board games? Leave it to the science nerds. But as Holly explained it to her, it actually sounded…fun. She was busy trying to picture a drunk Holly navigating her way around innuendos when she felt the brunette shaking her out of her thoughts. "I'm sorry, what did you ask me?"

"I asked if you'd like to go with me. It'll be fun." Gail's declination of her offer was on the tip of her tongue, but looking into those open brown eyes and the lopsided smile combined with that head tilt, she suddenly heard herself agreeing to go to the science nerds' party and subsequent outing followed by an invitation to the Divisions' holiday party. What was this woman doing to her? But before she could question it, Holly was enthusiastically talking about ugly Christmas sweaters and how she had found the perfect one this year. Gail hoped that maybe Holly would forget by the following week when her holiday party was and went home a little nervous about having to go to two social events in one week.

"Ugly Christmas sweater? Why? Are you, Miss I Always Leave Early Peck, planning on wearing one this year?" Tracy looked at her in disbelief.

"It was just a question." But when Tracy saw the look in her friend's eyes, she dialed back on the teasing and answered her.

"I may still have mine from last year. It was a close second, so it'll do pretty well if you intend to enter a holiday contest. Are you going with Holly?" She nudged shoulders with Gail and caught a knowing smile in response. "You are! You'll have a good time, I'm sure."

"That's what she keeps saying too. Everyone's so full of cheer, I'm not so sure anymore."

"Ah, don't worry about it. With a girl like Holly by your side, how could you not?" As Tracy got up to grab some more coffee she motioned asking Gail if she'd like a cup as well.

"I know, but still. You know?" She took the proffered cup from Tracy's hand and took a sip. "Man, someone's trying to save the coffee. It's not that strong today. And she keeps telling me we'll have fun at 15's party as well." With that she tried to make a quick escape, but as per usual Tracy was quick on the draw and caught her wrist before Gail could get very far.

"What? You're bringing a plus one?" Her eyes shone with happiness for her friend. "Gail Peck. You've never brought anyone to the holiday party in five years, nor have you showed any interest in any of the contests. Holly must be someone special then."

"She is. She's amazing. Now I really have to go, you know. Paperwork." She took a few steps away then turned around and added, "Thanks Trace." Before Tracy could respond, she walked away with a smile on her face.

Gail groaned once she saw the sweater that Tracy was providing her. It really was ugly. Holly would love it for sure. She was getting more and more nervous as the time passed and Holly was due to pick her up in 30 min. Her old insecurities were coming back to her, What if Holly didn't show? What if her colleagues didn't like her? What if...was that a knock at the door? She could hear Dov talking to someone and as she listened there were footsteps leading up to her own door and a soft knock. "Who is it?" she called out as she stood up to get the door.

"It's me. Holly. I know I'm early but..." she didn't get a chance to finish her sentence before she was pulled into Gail's room by a very strong set of arms and kissed into tomorrow. "Gail. I..." She lost all train of thought as the blonde moved onto her neck and gosh, that felt good. She was yearning for more when her girlfriend pulled back and smirked at her.

"You know. We don't have to go..."

"Gail. We have to. Think of how much fun it'll be. Are you ready? Sorry I'm so early. It's just that I left work a little early so I was ready earlier than planned, and I couldn't just sit there and wait anymore so I figured.." Gail cupped her cheek and gave her a long, slow kiss.

"Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much? I'll be ready in five minutes, all I need to do is put on my, well Tracy's, ugly Christmas sweater, pre-game real quick, and then we can leave." She sauntered over to her closet and grabbed the sweater off of the hanger and tugged it on, however reluctantly.

"I. Wow. That is a good one. Wait until you see mine, though. Handmade." Holly smiled proudly and was tugged along to the kitchen by pale hands. Once there they let go and immediately began a raid through the cabinets grabbing a couple of shot glasses and some tequila.

"One shot before we go?"

"I can't, I'm driving." Holly normally took a cab to these things, but because she knew they still made Gail a little nervous she figured they drive over. It really wasn't a big deal to her.

"You can leave your car and we can cab it over there and back. I'll be fine as long as you're with me." She saw Holly's eyes searching her blue ones and knew she had her before Holly narrowed her eyes and started nodding. "Alright. A toast. To a fun-filled night with nerds!" Holly just laughed as they clinked glasses and downed the shots. The cab arrived in short order and they arrived right on time.

Throughout the dinner, Gail kept whispering comments in Holly's ears. Some made her blush and others nearly caused her to choke on her drinks from laughter. She really couldn't understand why people thought Gail was so cold and distant, really she was the best company Holly could have asked for well. Ever. And her colleagues really liked her, even the ones she considered friends commented about how much better Gail was than her last girlfriend. That earned a playful slap on the arm, but it was so true. No one could really compare to the sarcastic and witty blonde. After spending hours listening to the ways in which Gail would show her fun later on, Holly caved and they never made it to the bars or the intern's for games. Instead though, they had their own party for two back at Gail's. And after the next holiday party, they didn't even make it to dessert. But it was still apparently the longest Gail had ever remained at the party. All Holly could think about later that night was what a Merry Christmas it was turning out to be.


	5. Song Fic Challenge

Shuffle your current or last playlist and pick the first five songs (no cheating!). Then you write a small story based on each one. Maybe 100-500 words? You may use the songs in the stories themselves or just as inspiration, whatever you prefer. Then you post and tag 5 people to do the challenge too.

Fixer Upper - Frozen Cast

"So what's stopping you?" Gail scoffed. She had no idea why she hadn't asked Holly yet. She stared at the ring often enough and Steve and Traci were supportive of her decision, both encouraging her to pop the question for the last several months at this point.

"I don't know. Maybe she'll say no. Maybe she'll leave me at the altar. Maybe I still need to change to be enough for her." The blonde downed another shot of Tequila. Damn, her brother and sister-in-law sure did know how to pick the good stuff. Steve and Traci shared a look. It didn't matter that after three years of Holly never leaving Gail's side or how often she told her that she didn't need to change for anyone, Gail still felt like she owed it to the brilliant brunette.

"Gail, honey. Look at me." It took a moment, but Gail brought her eyes up to meet the warm brown ones. "You don't need to change. Do you love her?"

"Yes. Yes." She said with as much conviction as she could muster.

"And does she love you?"

This time, her answer was a little quieter. "Yes, she does."

"Then you know what, little sis? That's all you need to know and if you do change, you'll change together and it'll happen naturally."

La Vie Boheme B - Rent (Film) Cast

Her mind felt like it was racing a million miles a minute. There were so many thoughts going through, it was difficult to sort through them all. After waiting for so long, she and her wife were finally going to bring their little girls home. The adoption process took a lot longer than anticipated, but Holly knew it was worth it. After her wife's first adoption didn't go through several years ago, and she returned to Toronto they talked it through and decided to wait until they were married. Sure, Gail and Holly had met the sisters before but this time would be different. This time, the case worker would leave and the girls would remain to live in their new home with their new parents. The bell rang. Gail was already at the door by the time she could gather herself together and for the first time, welcome the girls into their home as their daughters. Holly could not be happier.

On the Road to Find Out - Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens)

She never used to run. But then her life took a turn she wasn't expecting, everything she wanted was within her grasp and then unceremoniously yanked from her. Gail Peck, hater of exercise now ran everyday and even swam in the warmer months. She felt a tug to go faster, but at the same time wanted to slow down and enjoy the scenery. Holly would have liked that, to really appreciate the beauty of nature around her. But she was gone, and there was no one left waiting for her at home. No matter how hard she tried to move on and forget, she never could. What was the name of that woman from the bar last night? She couldn't be bothered to remember, that relationship wasn't going anywhere. Maybe Steve was right. Maybe she should read that book on relationships he swears helped him. Or maybe she just needed to keep moving forward. After all, the future was going to catch up with her whether she liked it or not.

Don't Stop - Fleetwood Mac

Her head was pounding and she could barely move her arms when she suddenly heard some shuffling and a familiar voice, "Holly? Hols? Can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me?" She could hear the tears in Gail's eyes and feel the smile appear as she felt another hand in hers and squeezed as hard as she could when Gail began shouting for a nurse, a doctor, anyone. Her Mom.

"Gail?" She coughed, her throat was dry. "Gali?" She was having a hard time keeping her eyes open but could feel the edge of a cup being pressed to her lips and a familiar hand supporting the back of her head so she could take a sip of water.

"I'm right here baby. We're all here for you. You're going to be fine. You're going to be just fine." She could feel the tears from her wife's eyes as the blonde pressed a kiss into her open palm. Another voice, one she hadn't heard in person in too long.

"Holly? We were so scared. Your father and I flew in as soon as we heard." Her mother sounded so happy, and yet so sad. Holly was still so confused, the last she remembered was. Oh God, did that really happen? "There were a few times where the doctors weren't sure. You-Oh, he's going to be so happy when he sees you."

"Mom? Honey? Wha? Where am I?" She just needed confirmation that she wasn't dreaming, that she was really in a hospital.

"You're in the hospital." The tears were now flowing freely from her reserved blonde. "I kept telling everyone, tomorrow she'll wake up. Tomorrow. I just couldn't stop believing it. I love you so much."

Katmandu - Yusuf Islam

"Sooo this is camping. Can you please explain to me why we didn't sleep in the tents that we brought?" It was little unnerving knowing that they were simply sleeping outside with the animals.

Traci just laughed it off, Holly did say Gail wasn't too thrilled with the idea of sleeping outside or getting up to watch the sunrise. "Because, how often do you get see the stars or the sunrise like this?" She added another piece of wood to the fire and pulled her blanket back around her shoulders against the chill of the morning. They could now hear some footsteps getting closer and shouting from their boyfriend and girlfriend. "But. At least you didn't' have to join those two on their morning run in the dark through the woods."

"It wasn't like it was completely dark. We had flashlights." Gail felt a pair of sweaty arms wrap around her from the back and squirmed trying to get out of their hold.

"Ugh. Did you have to do that?"

"You know you like it. Now, come on and help me get some more wood before our girlfriends freeze."

"They're not going to freeze. Once the sun comes out we'll be alright." She still got up to get some wood with her brother, but not before giving Holly a quick kiss. Even though they were only gone for fifteen minutes, when they came back the sun was just beginning to show over the horizon and Traci and Holly were sharing a blanket next to each other. After dropping off the firewood, Steve and Gail joined them on the log with blankets and watched the sunrise behind the fire.

Gail didn't know why, but she felt as though time worked differently out there, like the minutes passed more slowly. When Holly snuggled into her side pulling the blanket tighter around them, she felt like she was home.


	6. The Sticky Note

A/N: This...did not go where I wanted it to go. This was supposed to be a humorous story. I'm not sure how I feel about it...it's kind of an experiment on my part. It's a little sad.

* * *

She buried herself in her work. She came in early and left well after the sun set. Her home was never in more of a state of disarray and her diet consisted mainly of food that came out of a box. For the first time in a long time, she had a budget for alcohol, tequila mostly, to keep her company on those nights where her research couldn't distract her. The brunette had never been more motivated or productive with her cases or her publications. It seemed that there was no way of slowing her down. This went on for months, until she burned herself out.

The body needs rest, her doctor friends told her. Rachel and Lisa were there for her to catch her when she fell. "All for one, and one for all." They had said when she questioned why they were still there after the mess she had become. "Always." Rachel tacked on that last word and the pathologist lost it again, her shoulders were wracked with heaving sobs until she exhausted herself into sleep. She woke up to whispering, but couldn't quite make out the words.

"He's texted me again. Do you think it's okay?"

"I don't know, maybe it'll help."

"It might. What about his wife? Weren't she and Gail best friends?"

"Baby steps?"

"What are you guys mumbling about over there?" The words stopped and she could hear the sounds of stocking feet padding over to where she lay. There was a deep breath and a long sigh.

"Honey, there's going to be a guest today. Maybe you could take a shower while we clean?" Rachel's arms gently wrapped around her shoulders lifting her to a sitting position. Lisa squatted down in front of her and softly pushed her hair behind her ears.

"We got this. Take your time." She hadn't seen this side of Lisa since they were in school and Rachel lost her father. The forensic pathologist vaguely wondered how bad she must seem to everyone for Lisa to treat her this gently and numbly nodded her head.

"Okay? Okay, Rachel will set out some clothes for you." And without another word she was escorted up the stairs to her bathroom where Rachel turned on the water for her and helped her undress. She set out the brunette's favorite pair of sweats, the same ones from university, and a t-shirt and sweatshirt for her to change into before rejoining Lisa downstairs.

Several hours later found them sitting on the floor of the living room when the doorbell rang harsh against the silence that had fallen upon them. In silent agreement, Lisa got up as Rachel did her best to prepare their friend for the onslaught of emotions that was sure to follow after the dark-skinned motherly woman walked into her home.

"We don't know what else to do. We, you were close with her. Right?"

"I was. And with Holly too, I don't what to say."

"Just say…I don't know. We don't know. Maybe she needs someone who knows better than us how she's feeling? We figured the sister-in-law?"

"Mmm…Steve is outside. Maybe you guys could talk with him?"

The normally abrasive friend led her in and motioned for Rachel to leave them some privacy. While Holly and Traci talked, so did Rachel, Lisa, and Steve. This was the beginning of the healing.

It took some more time, and some therapy, but Holly was able to go back to her normal working hours and routine. Well, as best as she could manage without the presence of the person who made life seem more vibrant. The normally even-keeled scientist in her looked back on those months with a little bit of embarrassment but the romantic in her knew that losing the love of her life would destroy her. Her friends were there for her, always, and the Pecks grew closer as a family, Gail would have loved that their monthly dinners turned into monthly game nights she thought with a sad smile. And when she least expected it, something would happen that reminded her of the nature of her late wife. The most memorable time happened during one of the late nights in the month immediately following. She couldn't fully appreciate how very Gail it was at the time, but now was grateful that she had the chance to love someone like the blonde.

The brunette was known for her use of sticky notes. They were color-coded and she used them constantly at work for various notes. The bright orange ones were Gail's favorite. Holly saved those at the beginning, but one night she ran out of other stickies and had forgotten pick up more from the supply closet before it was locked, so she started in on those. It took a couple of days, but she was caught by surprise when after peeling off a page, there was already a note written on the next page. The handwriting caused her to gasp. It was Gail's, the quirky blonde always did love to leave her messages that would take days to find and always on the orange ones. They never failed to make her smile knowing that she found someone like Gail.

The grieving brunette closed her eyes and counted to ten before opening them again to make sure this wasn't just wishful thinking. When she opened them again, the words were still there in that bold handwriting. "I'd marry you again if I could Nerd. Happy Anniversary!" Their anniversary had occurred in the days following 'the event' as she called it in her head. This had to have been scrawled in there a day or so before with the intention of Holly finding it at or around their anniversary.

Many years later, and Holly still kept the sticky note on her refrigerator.


	7. Karaoke Night

A/N: Because I absolutely adore this song.

"Love Is An Open Door" - The Frozen Soundtrack

* * *

"Really, Holly? Karaoke night?" Gail grumbled as she was practically dragged out of the car by her girlfriend to the Penny. "I try to avoid it after last time." She still couldn't live it down, and Holly still teased her about it every now and then. Gail would never admit it, but the story was kind of funny.

"Yes, Gail. Karaoke night. That was part of the deal, besides maybe we can finally get Traci, Chloe, Andy, and Noelle up on stage for the Cellblock Tango!" Holly had other plans, but Gail didn't need to know those just then.

"You're still on that? I doubt it's ever going to happen. Ugh, can you just. Hang on." They were about to enter the bar, but before they did the blonde wanted one last kiss before crossing over into the chaos that was coppers singing. It was a slow, passionate kiss that promised more to come later and left the brunette weak at the knees. She was still trying to get her head on straight when they walked in and Steve signaled the DJ for Holly. They entered just as the last few lines of the previous song was belted out, and not too horribly either. Holly almost let Gail walk away to get them some drinks but was brought out of her daze when she saw the thumb's up Traci was giving her and Chloe approaching with a drink for each of them.

"Next up to dazzle us with her skills ladies and gentlemen is Holly Stewart!"

Gail had no idea what was happening. One second she was accepting a drink from Chloe and the next Holly's name was called to go up for karaoke and she was pulled up on stage with her. All of their friends were cheering and, oh no, Steve had his phone out to video the entire thing.

She turned to Holly to say something, but was stopped with a quick kiss on the lips before she could and Holly whispering in her ear, "You sing the pink words." The song was starting before she could resond and her part was coming up.

"Okay, can I just say something crazy?" Wait. This song ended in a...noo..it's just a song for couples. She looked at Holly as her brilliant girlfriend continued with her part smiling at her and urging her to continue.

They belted out the song, complete with harmony. Holly didn't like to talk about it much but she was an amazing singer and was part of the accapella group in college while Gail loved to sing and after getting that guitar last year did so more often. They'd done this often enough that Gail's initial thought was quickly forgotten as she got into the performance.

"I mean it's crazy." "What?" "We finish each other's-" " Sandwiches!" This got a good laugh from the crowd since most of them were familiar with Gail's eating habits and her fast metabolism.

"Love is an open dooor!" The crowd seemed to be enjoying to their little show. She was going to have to get that video from Steve and delete those pictures that Traci, Chloe, and Andy were not so discretely taking. And, was that Lisa and Rachel taking a video and pictures as well? She didn't have time to really process this as the song was almost over.

She looked over just as Holly turned to her and sang, "Can I say something crazy?" There was supposed to be a giggle there, but Gail was nowhere near drunk so there was a slight pause before Holly reached into her pocket and got down on one knee. Gail didn't know what to do, was this real? Her friends whooped even louder as Holly, still in time of course continued on, "Will you marry me?" There were pink words on the screen so she knew she was supposed to say something but she was shocked into silence. Holly was there holding out a ring for her and on one knee smiling her amazing lop-sided smile. She gathered her wits before the end of the song and said, "Yes!" Holly got up, gave her a proper kiss and Gail put on her ring and, for once was all smiles in front of the rest of the rookies while sober. Yep, she was absolutely in love with this amazing woman next to her.


	8. Proposal Plan?

A/N: I don't even know what this is, but I was finally able to string more than three words together.

* * *

*ting-ting-ting * "Ahem. I've been told that at this wedding that the Best Man is _not_ expected to give a speech. But how could I pass up the opportunity to say a few words about my favorite little sister. Ow." To his right, Gail gave him a sharp elbow and was seen muttering to herself. The always stunning brunette flashed Steve a quick smile and whispered a few words in the blonde's ear, while her hand gently caressed her upper arm.

Gail's annoyance seemed to dissipate at once and she waved a hand to signal her brother to continue with his speech.

"Okay, where was I? Ah yes, when Gail first came to me with her proposal plan, I thought it was absolutely insane. Insanely romantic, but insane none-the-less. I have no idea how she pulled it off, but she did and we have the video evidence to prove it."

-Last year-

"Hey Steve, you got a minute?" Gail called to Steve from across the parking lot.

"For you, baby sister, I always have a minute. Just give me 5 seconds to get ready." He made show of fiddling with his watch and with his thumb and forefinger gripping it he looked at Gail and said with a smile, "Okay. Now go." And a beep was heard.

"You know what Steven. Nevermind." The blonde turned to walk away and from the looks of it, her mind was working on something serious. Steve took his cue and jogged the few paces towards her.

"Hey, hey. I got some time now. Traci doesn't get off for a couple of hours, come on. The Penny? I'll pay." He knew it was serious when she didn't look directly at him, but just past his ears and chewed her bottom lip. "No? We can go back to my place, it's quieter." Her eyes briefly met his for a second and she nodded in the affirmative.

"Okay, but you're driving us there." And she abruptly turned around, walked to his car, opened the door and got in. There was the usual banter and questions about each other's day but nothing too serious in the short ride back to Steve's apartment. As soon as they were in, he pulled two beers out of the fridge and started warming up some leftovers he had. Steve hadn't seen this look too often on his sister and knew better than to beat around the bush.

"What's on your mind?" He knew she was stalling and she knew she was stalling but he had patience for his little sister.

After Gail's long sip of beer she looked right in his eyes and stated, "I'm going to propose to Holly." He figured it was only a matter of time before she and Holly tied the knot, but was surprised that Gail came to him with her intentions first.

"Hey, that's great. What's your plan?" He was genuinely happy for them. It had been far too long since he had seen his baby sister so happy and whenever he was around the two together it was difficult not to notice how in love and how much the two women fit together. He could tell by the small widening of his sister's eyes that she wasn't expecting such a non-reaction. But she recovered quickly and reached into her pocket to pull out a diamond ring.

"Well, I got this. And my plan is to ask her next weekend."

"Next weekend? While you guys are on vacation?" Steve knew his sister was really a romantic, but didn't know she was this good.

"Yes, Steven. While we're on vacation, watching a game at the last Major League Baseball stadium that Holly has yet to visit. At least this way I kind of have something to look forward to as well." She fiddled with the ring for a few seconds before putting it back into the box and looked up for Steve's reaction. "Well? You've been quiet for far too long. It's really cheesy isn't it?" Her hands came up to cover to her face and she was about to say something when he finally spoke.

"I think that's a great idea. It's a special event, do you know when during the game you'll ask the question?"

"That's what I'm waiting for. I actually called, then emailed, then called, and called, and called to find the right person to talk to and to talk them into this."

"Wow, you must have quite the plan. You're setting the bar pretty high right now and making me look bad." A smile spread across his face as he playfully pushed his sister in the shoulder. His proposal to Traci didn't exactly go as planned nor was it the most romantic. "So, what is it? The plan?" Gail sighed dramatically and took her time drinking some more beer, but finally set it down and told him.

"I heard that sometimes stadiums will do special things for someone if it's the last stadium for the to visit. Since they said no to my original plan I talked them into doing this during the seventh inning stretch. Yes, I know what that is." The blonde rolled her eyes at her brother's look of surprise. "I've been to plenty of games at this point. They have a kiss cam and I gave them our seat numbers and that's when I'm going to ask. They'll put it up on the screen."

"You really thought this out. I like it. Just one question though."

"What is it, Steven?"

"Why are you telling me all this? I'm honored that you would tell me, but why?"

"Because, brother, I need your help with something." He tilted his head to the side in question. "Can you record it for me? It's going to be a game that's aired and I want some video evidence other than looking it up on YouTube."

"Of course I'll record it for you. You are, after all, my favorite sister." He brought his hand up to ruffle her hair, much like he did when they were younger and he still had some height on his little sister but she was older now and dodged it, getting up and grabbing another beer for each of them.

-Present-

"Well, I'm not going to say she pulled it off without any issues because they actually flashed the proposal before the kiss cam so my dear sister had to -improvise, but it was the same end result. We are all here, celebrating the marriage of two of the best people I know. I'm honored to be your best man and I wish the two of you many happy years together." With that he raised his glass in toast and after taking a sip of his champagne, leaned over to give his sister a kiss.


	9. Roommates

A/N: This is the first of a two parter. I've had part 1 on my computer for several weeks now...now to finish part 2.

* * *

"Welcome back, Nerd!" Holly was engulfed in a hug she knew was only reserved for her. "Are you ready to start your journey to officially becoming Doc?" She was exhausted from her day of travel to get to school. It started out fantastic, waking up early to get to her flight, which ended up being delayed causing her to miss her connecting flight and then her luggage had somehow ended up in the customer service baggage claim of a different carrier. All she could think about during the entire taxicab ride was climbing into bed and sleeping. That was, until she was caught in the hug by her best friend Gail. For someone who despised hugs, Gail really did give the best ones.

"Thanks, Gail." She returned the gesture before flopping on her bed. "Ugh. You would not believe the day I have just had. I'm so glad we decided to move in a week early so I can shake off the events and focus on the school year." Holly brought her arm up to cover her eyes and could feel the weight of another person lying down on the bed next to her.

Gail shifted her position so she was on her side and propping up her head on her hand. Theirs was one of those friendships that most people deemed doomed from the start. Holly was two years older than Gail, soft around the edges where Gail was hard, studious and athletic while Gail sort-of tried and couldn't be trusted to swing a bat but they complemented each other and were soon inseparable. "Hey, we could just order in and watch some cheesy rom-com. We don't have go out tonight." The blonde could see the exhaustion on her friend's face and thought she may have fallen asleep in the few moments since she had lain down on the bed.

"Thasounssoaweome." The tired Holly inhaled deeply before abruptly sitting up. "But first, I need to shower off the airplane smell." She slowly pushed herself upright, fumbled around her suitcase, and headed to the bathroom. Just as she got to the door, she turned around, and said, "Thanks. It really is great to be back where we can hang out in person and not just through technology," before shutting the door and the sounds of water running could be heard.

Gail just flopped back onto the bed and groaned. While she too was glad that they could now hang in person as well, it also meant that another semester of school was starting and this time they would both be a lot busier, she agreed to do a research project and Holly was starting med school. But before the semester started they still had another week of just lazing around and enjoying each other's company.

They were just taking stock of the beverages they had for the night when the doorbell rang announcing the arrival of their sustenance. Gail ran to the door first and paid before Holly could grab her wallet from her room where she had dropped all of her stuff upon arrival. The blonde walked into the kitchen holding up their dinner, grabbed the bottle of tequila, and made her way to the living room to start digging in. Rolling her eyes, Holly grabbed the bottle of Jack, two shot glasses and followed. When she got to the living room Gail had already claimed half the couch and some fried rice.

"So, what's it going to be tonight Blondie?" They did this once a week and it was looking like this was going to continue into the semester. A tradition Holly was perfectly okay with.

"Well, Nerd. I was thinking of watching a classic Meg Ryan, Sleepless in Seattle."

"Ooh. Very nice. You know, that was one of those movies that my Dad would always turn on when I was a kid."

"Your Dad? Mr. Stewart? The guy who basically built your childhood home on his own and goes for week-long camping trips? That guy?" Holly laughed at her friend's description of her Dad. Her roommate wasn't too far off.

"Yes, that guy. He has a soft spot for rom-coms for whatever reason. You don't want to know how often we watched movies like While You Were Sleeping and You've Got Mail when I was a kid." Her Dad was a man of many contradictions.

"Huh. I never would have guessed. Well, I haven't seen this in years so don't ruin it for me." It wasn't long before the food was gone and they were settled into their movie watching positions. Holly with her legs stretched out and propped up on a pillow on the coffee table and Gail laying down, her head in Holly's lap. Holly was engrossed in the movie, this was her favorite of the movies and she could quote it in its entirety. The med student thought her friend was watching the movie as well until her friend's voice broke the relative silence of the room.

"Do you know this entire movie by heart?" Gail's voice was one of wonder.

"What?" Holly was thrown off by the sudden question.

"You move your lips whenever Meg speaks. Sometimes you even whisper along with the dialogue." She could see the confusion, evident in the way Holly's brow furrowed and then recognition in the way her lips quirked up into that side smile.

"Ha, I do actually. I told you, we watched this movie a lot when I growing up. This one was my favorite." She hadn't realized what she was doing. They continued watched the movie like that, until it finished and Holly noticed then the rhythmic breathing of her roommate. Gail's face looked so peaceful that she couldn't bring herself the wake her up and instead simply turned off the TV and DVD player and settled in for the night.

They spent the nights of the following week in much the same fashion. During the day Holly would prepare for school and Gail would sort-of prepare for school. At night they'd either order in or make some food and watch a movie together, sometimes spending the night on the couch together and other times talking well into the wee hours of the night before retiring to their respective bedrooms, both of them knowing and dreading the day school started when they wouldn't be able to see the other as often.

"You ready for tomorrow?" They were in Gail's room, Holly getting ahead in her studies and Gail making up her semester study playlist, but mostly looking at how tense Holly seemed to look about her first class.

"Hm?" As expected, the nerdy brunette was engrossed in her textbook so Gail gently poked her ribs with her toe.

"Are you ready for tomorrow? You look like you're already studying pretty hard and the semester hasn't even technically begun." Holly grabbed her foot and started tickling it. She knew exactly where Gail's ticklish spots were.

"Oh yeah? Not hard enough that I don't have time for you!"

"Stop. Stop it." She could barely get the words out she was laughing so hard. And as always, Holly stopped when she asked. Gail was laying down on her bed trying to catch her breath and Holly flopped down next to her. They just laid there enjoying the other's company until Gail turned to look at Holly but there was something different this time. Her stomach was doing flips and her skin tingled at how close they were to each other. Sure she couldn't wait to see her friend or hear her voice over the summer but butterflies in her stomach? That was new. And then Holly turned to look back at her. Holly with those soft and open brown eyes. Holly who was her shoulder to cry on when everything went belly up with Nick last year. Holly who cried on her shoulder when Colleen broke up with her because she couldn't stand that Holly studied so much. Her Holly. And she realized in that moment, that she wanted to kiss Holly.

"Gail?"

"Huh? What?"

"I thought I lost you for a second there. Where were you?" Holly was looking at Gail, studying her face like she already knew the answer and it was written in the contours of her prickly friend's face. There was no reason for her to think that Holly would want to date her, they were complete opposites after all. And as her other friends often pointed out, the mere existence of their friendship was a mystery.

"Oh. I was just, you know, thinking." She turned her head to face the ceiling and audibly inhaled and exhaled. When had this happened? Was she okay with it? Why was she not freaking out about it? Did she need to? No, she was okay with it. What should she do about it?

"Hey. What are you thinking about?" Holly placed her hand over Gail's and gave a gentle squeeze. "You look like you're trying to figure something out."

Gail chuckled softly, her best friend had no idea how accurate she was with that statement. "Just thinking." And she was, just thinking. But what should her next actions be?


End file.
